Author: Seedly

We invest our income with the ultimate objective of trying to maximize our total returns. There are two prominent methods of investing your income, to increase your total returns. In this article, we examine both sides of this returns story and find out which is most suitable for you based on a few factors. The Returns Formula Total Returns = Capital Appreciation (Growth) + Dividend Yield Capital Appreciation (Growth): Earnings and price of stock increase above market average Dividend Yield: Quarterly or Yearly cash payouts for your investment in the company based on performance Dividend Investing A strategy that involves building...

How many of us actually keep a close watch on our monthly expenditure – how much we spend and what we spend most on? For most Singaporeans, we spend the most on food! The next in line is transport. And that’s true regardless which age group we belong to, according to Singstat’s 2012/2013 household expenditure survey. Arguably, three years is a long time and things might have changed. But if we were to look at past surveys, the story is the same. We’ve definitely spent more than the past because of inflation. Other than that, though, food and transport have...

There has been a ton of news surrounding Robo-Advisors in Singapore recently. This article serves to be a simple and accurate introduction to what this means and includes a detailed comparison between the 3 main players in the Singapore market. (as of 21 August 2017) What is a Robo-Advisor? In the past, mutual fund managers basically pulled together funds and charged a hefty 2-3% management fee for trying to beat the market. The fees usually eat into returns in the long run and thus the ones who benefited ultimately were the fund managers. Robo-Advisors aim to change that. The Promise:...

The Basics Of REITs Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) refers to a company that owns and operates income-producing real estate. The key features of REITs include: They are traded on the Singapore Exchange like a stock. REITs have to distribute at least 90% of their profit to their investors. Types Of REITs REITs pool money from investors to buy and manage real estates. There are a few types of property that they focus on, and investors can make their investment based on their area of interest. Industrial REITs: Industrial REITs like Keppel DC REIT focus on industrial related properties...

Stop overpaying for things you can get for free! Singapore has been rated as one of the most expensive countries in the world, but many Singaporeans still spend money on things that they can get for free. While some are no-brainers, many people still pay a hefty sum for them for convenience. Sure, you may have a busy schedule. But if you take out just a little bit of time to work around it, you can easily save hundreds per month! Here are 11 things you absolutely shouldn’t pay for. 1. Gym Memberships Unless you’re a sportsperson who needs...

Is it really possible in Singapore? Back when we were students, we largely survived on a shoestring budget, relying on funds from our families, student loans or even part-time jobs. When we graduate and start working, we start to lose control of our spending. Here are 5 tips on how we can potentially go back to surviving on $500 a month and live like a student again! Tip 1: Create two bank accounts This is probably the most extreme of all but also the most effective. Forced savings creates a forced expenses limit. The best part of this is...

What am I not doing financially? Life in your 20s and 30s can be a financial mess. Late night partying and long hours at work (rinse and repeat) immediately after coming out into the working world. On the weekends, you ponder… What other Singaporeans are doing with their financial lives and what are the key areas you should probably look at. 5 important checklist items Sort out your money accounts Get basic insurance plans Understand and start basic passive investing Work towards a first financial milestone Join a free community to learn together 1) Sort out your accounts This...

We recently wrote an article on the Singapore Savings Bond. For those who might be interested in adding Singapore Savings Bond into your portfolio, the application for this month’s bond will close on 27 June 2017. In fact, in a few days time, to be exact. Here’s how you go about applying for the Singapore Savings Bond. What You Need? Before applying, make sure you have two things: A bank account with any local banks in Singapore (DBS/POSB, OCBC or UOB) A CDP securities account that is linked to the bank account you intend to invest with. How To...

Living in Singapore can be really stressful. Due to the high cost of living, life is constantly about planning ahead and working toward certain milestones such as marriage and starting a family. Every milestone comes with a price tag! This article serves as a benchmark to how much you roughly need for each milestone in life and a strategy on how much you need to start saving/investing every month to clear this debt. Fact: You will probably spend up to $422K by Age 30 The early life stages of a Singaporean involves 5 most financial milestones. According to our research...

Singapore was ranked as the world’s most expensive country in 2017. Singaporeans generally complain about it over a few months but it becomes an afterthought soon after. You squeeze in the MRT in the morning and give yourself a reason to go to work. That reason is the Modern Day Poverty Cycle. It was actually brought up by our community who asked a question anonymously on our Facebook group. It further led to thoughts on the idea of the typical Singaporean story of being Asset Rich and Cash Poor. The Modern Day Poverty Cycle Upon starting work, you are already...

With new phone models being released every couple of months, many will rush to lay their hands on the latest phones. Even if you don’t get the new models as soon as they are released, chances are you change your phone once every 2 years anyway, when you recontract your mobile plan. More often than not, the phone you had been using will still be in working condition and just a little out of date. Rather than letting it collect dust in some corner, why not sell it and earn some cash? We have a better strategy in the...

Are you planning to change a larger amount of money from SGD to another currency (or back)? It may be actually more worth it if you take on the role as a money changer instead. This article serves as a good strategy when you are changing a sum usually in the range of 2-3k SGD and beyond to be worthwhile. If you are changing just 200 to 300 dollars, it easier to just head down to the money changer or if you are buying online, consider using RateX, another local startup. After reading this, you can actually become your...

Life without the internet seems impossible for today. With the advancement in technology, more than 90% of households have an internet connection at home. Yet, most Singaporeans researching well into it despite our reliance on getting connected. Much like our previous article on Singapore’s best mobile plan, Singaporeans may not be on the cheapest fibre broadband plans costing them money each year. Key Takeaways: Best plans for different Lifestyles For 12 Months Contract: WhizComms – Fibre broadband plan with 12 months contract is only available at Singtel and WhizComms, and in this case, WhizComms provides the cheapest service at $36 per...